Ep 47 - How to Become A Technical Program Manager with Krista Palmer

Ready to shift from coding to non-coding roles? Krista's got the blueprint! The #WorkingInTech series follows the career journeys of thriving tech professionals. We unpack their career stories to turn lessons learned into useful tips to help you make winning career moves. On this episode of #WorkingInTech, we're talking to Krista, a Technical Program Manager at Google. Krista brings a diverse background in front-end development, product management, scrum mastery, and product ownership to her role at one of tech's biggest companies. Passionate about the intersection of design and technology, Krista founded CX with Kris to help professionals transition into technical program management roles. Her expertise in shaping digital experiences that enhance our daily lives stems from her education in both Computer Science and Digital Media from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Krista will share her journey from development to program management at Google, insights on blending tech and design, and advice for those looking to pivot their careers in the tech industry. 𝕏 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIALS 𝕏 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juwonthetechie/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuwonTheTechie Threads: https://www.threads.net/@juwonthetechie IG: https://www.instagram.com/juwonthetechie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juwon-io/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@juwonthetechie CONNECT WITH KRISTA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krspea/ Website: http://cxwithkris.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro 1:15 - Discovering TPM & Google 8:30 - Using Stories in Interviews 17:25 - Taking the Traditional Route 24:35 - Getting the First Role 27:37 - Certifications 36:57 - CX With Kris 41:07 - Networking 43:27 - Salary Progression 45:56 - What Makes A Good Program Manager? 49:35 - Addressing Competing Priorities or Resources 51:58 - Switching Between Engineering and Management 54:09 - Owning the Outcome 56:00 - Getting Things Done 58:50 - Final Words 1:01:40 - Conclusion